athletics

Use the noun athletics to talk about sports, including team practice, games, and training. A serious baseball player might choose a college based on its athletics program.

In Britain, the word athletics specifically refers to track and field competitions, such as long-distance running, high jump, and javelin. In the US, you can use the word to talk about any kind of sporty activity. The noun athletics comes from the adjective athletic, based on the model of gymnastics. The Greek root is athletes, "prizefighter" or "contestant in the games."